Music industry studies students wrapped up a three week series of filmmaking seminars on Tuesday, Nov. 18 in Nunemaker Hall.

Professor of video technology, Jim Gabour put together the series for his Writing and Directing class, but the seminars were also open to anyone who wanted to attend.

Gabour said the class is for “getting words on to paper and then on to screen.”
The series ended with a talk from Hollywood film writer Grant Morris.

Morris, a native of New Zealand, got started in the screen writing business after pitching stories from the rock band he was in to a local television production company.

Morris, whose most notable film may be “Return of the Swamp Thing,” talked about his experiences in the industry and all the steps a film goes through before it hits the screen.
“Everything begins with you as a writer sitting down and writing something,” Morris said.

Morris also talked of inconsistencies and how although you may always be writing, there are many ways for the script to get killed before it makes it to actual production.

“One year you’re huge and everyone loves you and the next you’re not,” Morris said.
Mike Montero of Fast-Take Audio, who gave a demonstration on audio for film and video which included a tour of his audio truck, opened the seminars. Montero runs the audio and video for such events as Voodoo Fest.

The next seminar was a husband and wife team, Patrick and Doneeta Saft Jackson, who screened portions of their film “Tokyo Cowboys.” The duo chatted about their methods to making documentaries as well as creative lighting and framing techniques.

The Writing and Directing class this series was offered through is also one of the required courses for the film studies minor offered through the English department.

John Adams can be reached at [email protected].